Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Galle: $510 a month against $1,187 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Galle, Sri Lanka
Bali, Indonesia
Galle
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$510
/mo nomad
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,187
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Galle and in Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Galle and in Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $510 per month in Galle vs $1,187 in Bali, rent included.

  • Galle $510
  • Bali $1,187

A couple spends around $829 per month in Galle vs $2,004 in Bali, rent included.

  • Galle $829
  • Bali $2,004

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Galle vs $2,822 in Bali, rent included.

  • Galle $1,148
  • Bali $2,822

Galle is about 57% cheaper than Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Galle and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Galle 62% lower, Bali 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Galle
Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.71 LKR 1,232
$2.80 Rp 50.6K
32.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.23 LKR 8,390
$28.85 Rp 520.8K
-12.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.43 LKR 2,471
$4.76 Rp 86.0K
56.09%
Cappuccino
$2.55 LKR 847
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
14.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 LKR 242
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
-43.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 LKR 83.2
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
-55.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.17 LKR 720
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
-2.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 LKR 992
$3.55 Rp 64.1K
-16.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Galle
Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 LKR 546
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
16.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 LKR 190
$2.18 Rp 39.4K
-73.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 LKR 268
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
-22.86%
Eggs
$1.64 LKR 547
$1.92 Rp 34.7K
-14.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.40 LKR 5,120
$14.84 Rp 267.9K
3.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.11 LKR 1,700
$3.86 Rp 69.7K
32.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.40 LKR 2,461
$10.69 Rp 192.9K
-30.78%
Apples (1kg)
$6.43 LKR 2,139
$3.34 Rp 60.2K
92.51%
Banana (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 272
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
-43.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 LKR 1,404
$2.22 Rp 40.1K
90.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.32 LKR 437
$1.80 Rp 32.6K
-26.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 LKR 348
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
-38.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.81 LKR 271
$2.23 Rp 40.2K
-63.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 LKR 416
$0.92 Rp 16.5K
35.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 LKR 151
$0.46 Rp 8,308
-2.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.31 LKR 3,427
$2.06 Rp 37.1K
400.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.53 LKR 4,498
$20.38 Rp 367.8K
-33.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 LKR 648
$2.16 Rp 39.1K
-9.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 LKR 947
$2.85 Rp 51.4K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Galle
Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 LKR 52.4
$0.25 Rp 4,531
-36.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.68 Rp 156.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 LKR 95.8
$0.44 Rp 7,956
-34.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 LKR 104
$0.43 Rp 7,766
-27.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 LKR 290
$5.38 Rp 97.2K
-83.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 LKR 441
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
56.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.8K LKR 14.2M
$23.7K Rp 428.5M
80.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.8K LKR 15.2M
$32.9K Rp 592.9M
39.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Galle
Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.2 LKR 18.7K
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
-26.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 LKR 1,360
$6.33 Rp 114.2K
-35.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.08 LKR 7,009
$18.93 Rp 341.6K
11.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Galle
Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.65 Rp 751.7K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.78 Rp 266.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.64 LKR 1,544
$3.58 Rp 64.6K
29.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Galle
Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$39.64 LKR 13.2K
$437 Rp 7.9M
-90.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.3K LKR 5.8M
$11.0K Rp 199.2M
56.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Galle
Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.17 LKR 6,040
$43.09 Rp 777.7K
-57.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.46 LKR 5,807
$33.51 Rp 604.8K
-47.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 LKR 25.8K
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
3.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.00 LKR 14.0K
$73.9 Rp 1.3M
-43.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Galle
Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$957 Rp 17.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$570 Rp 10.3M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,028 Rp 54.6M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,446 Rp 26.1M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,096 Rp 37.8M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,885 Rp 34.0M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Galle
Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$316 LKR 105.1K
$215 Rp 3.9M
46.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.5
13.78
-9.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Galle: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bali: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Galle
$244
Bali
$263 7.7% $19
Eating Out
Galle
$103
Bali
$89 13.5% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Galle
$81
Bali
$102 25.4% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Galle
$70
Bali
$101 45.2% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Galle
$9.3 *
Bali
$49 425% $40
Getting Around
Galle
$2.5 *
Bali
$12 395% $9.8
Accommodation & Living
Galle
- *
Bali
$570

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 47% higher in Galle, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Galle versus $29 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $263 – making Galle the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Galle
🇮🇩 Bali
🕒 Local time
00:26 12:26 AM
02:56 2:56 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Galle
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18,049 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.54 USD). 1 EUR = 20,271 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Galle Bali 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Galle
  • Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Galle vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Galle or Bali?
Bali costs about 133% more than Galle, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Galle and in Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $766 per month in Galle and $1,780 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Galle compared to Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $510 in Galle and $1,187 in Bali. That makes Galle about 57% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Galle and in Bali?
Kindergarten costs $40 per month in Galle and $437 in Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Galle or in Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Galle, where all-in costs run around $510, than in Bali at $1,187. In Galle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Galle or Bali?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $510 versus $1,187 in Bali. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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